4 min to read

KDE Connect; Turn your phone into a magic wand!

KDE Connect Has To Be The Most Universal App I Have Ever Seen 🌀

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We’ve all seen it. The “walled garden” magic where an iPhone user takes a photo and it instantly appears on their Mac, or they copy text on one device and paste it on another. It looks seamless, but it usually comes with a hefty price tag and a lock-in to a single brand.

For the longest time, I thought I had to live without that kind of continuity. I was the guy emailing photos to myself or hunting for a USB cable just to transfer a screenshot. That is, until I properly figured out KDE Connect.

If you read my recent post on Dolphin File Manager, you saw me mention KDE Connect as a plugin. But honestly? It deserves its own spotlight.

What is it?

KDE Connect is an open-source project that bridges the gap between your devices. It uses your local Wi-Fi network to create a secure link between your computer (Linux, Windows, or macOS) and your phone (Android or iOS).

let me tell you shamthing

KDE Connect is more than a file transfer tool.

Why it feels like magic

Once you pair your devices, the lines between them start to blur. Here is why it has become one of the first things I install on any new setup:

Universal Clipboard:

I can copy a command or a link on my phone and Ctrl+V it immediately on my desktop. No more typing out long URLs manually.

Wireless File Transfer:

I can right-click a file in Dolphin and send it straight to my phone. Conversely, I can “Share” a file from my Android phone directly to my PC. (Pro tip: best for small file sharing. For large files, I am currently testing out LocalSend.)

Multimedia Control:

Pause, play, and skip tracks on Spotify or VLC running on your desktop, all from your phone’s notification shade. The best part is, KDE Connect can be installed on Android TV!

Remote Input:

Touchpad not working for some reason? Or maybe you have that one key on your keyboard that just refuses to work? Your phone’s screen becomes a wireless trackpad and keyboard. It’s the perfect backup for broken hardware (and great for controlling movies from the couch).

Stumble upon a cool article on your phone, but want to read it on the big screen? Share it via KDE Connect, and it instantly opens in your desktop’s default browser.

Smart Pause:

If I get a phone call, KDE Connect automatically lowers the volume on my music or pauses my video. And auto resume when the phone call ends.

Ring Device:

How often do you lose your phone between the couch cushions? You can trigger a loud “ring” from your computer to locate it. As long as you are on the same WiFi, you can find your lost device in seconds, even if it was on silent.

Custom commands:

(My favorite!) This is where your phone literally turns into a magic wand. You can define terminal commands on your computer and trigger them remotely from your phone. Imagine you walked away, forgot to lock your PC, and someone starts snooping. To fix that, you just take out your magic wand phone, open KDE Connect, select your PC, tap “Lock Screen,” and boom - access denied! You can even set commands to unlock, reboot, or run a full system update with a single tap!

The Best Part?

Everything happens over your local network with TLS encryption: no cloud servers, no account sign-ups, and no data farming.

Worth noting that KDE Connect will work even if you are using a VPN, Proxy, or awesome the Cloudflare WARP I mentioned earlier.

I love the fact that I can have all my devices connected. And speaking of devices, the platform support is insane. If you check their download page, KDE Connect has to be the most multi-OS app I have ever seen. It’s not just for Linux and Android. It’s on Windows, macOS, iOS, SailfishOS, Plasma Mobile, and even operating systems I had never heard of before!

If you are tired of the friction between your phone and your computer, stop emailing yourself files. Install KDE Connect and turn your mismatched devices into a powerful ecosystem.

Have you tried it yet? Let me know if it changes your workflow as much as it did mine!

Stay Curious,

Sham.